Letter to the Editor — Torture of animals in slaughterhouses

It is good to know that there are people in the government like the Provincial Board who expressed support to the move of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to prevent the torture of animals in slaughterhouses as reported in your May 31, 2006 issue.

Although the reason behind the board's support is that torture 'usually leads to the degradation of the quality of meat', I hope the board, DA and local government units will prevent cruelty to animals because of the moral and ethical issues of this act; that is, causing much suffering and pain to animals that can feel pain and fear, just like us, humans.

It is already cruel enough that these animals are born to the world so that they can be slaughtered for food, the least we humans can do is to try to inflict as minimal pain as possible. We might not witness the horrors. We might not hear their screams. But we just can't deny that the way animals react to fear and pain, the way they strain to be free, the way they struggle in the throes of death are the same ways we humans will react too. Imagine killing an animal with your own hands. Can you do it?

In this light, I hope the DA, Provincial Board and local government units will take steps to promote the humane treatment of all types of animals and if necessary enforce the law against violators of the Animal Welfare Act.

Another way is the advocating of a vegetarian diet. Promotion of a vegetarian diet will also spur demand for local farm products at a time when consumption of vegetables here in the Philippines is at a 30-year low as reported in your June 8, 2006 issue. At the same time, this lifestyle is obviously very, very beneficial to the health and nutritional needs of Filipinos in the long run.

Lastly, I commend PB member Victor Maambong, Dr. Verma Agriam of the Animal Welfare Office and your prestigious paper for running news reports on animal rights and giving voice to the voiceless. "A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast." - Proverbs 12:10

(Sgd.) Glenn Lim
Kenrich Development Corp.
ML Quezon Avenue, Casuntingan, Mandaue City
[email protected]